Caught in the Middle  Chapter 3
by Sunarlily
Summary: A foggy brain, sweaty hands...why is a new crush so stressful?


Chapter 3

Zac wiped his hands on his jeans, taking yet another deep breath. In about 2 minutes, he was going to come face to face with the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Kendra, Kali, and Tori had kept up a lively chatter ever since Carol had picked them up from Tori's house, but Zac could barely pay attention to the conversation.  
"Zac, are you okay?" Kali asked from the front seat.  
"Yeah…sure…fine," he answered. "Are we there yet?"  
"It's right up ahead…make a left," Kali said to Carol, and they pulled into the parking lot of a large two-story building. A black and white sign in the grass said 'Juarez Community Center'. To the right was a blacktop basketball court, where two games of half-court were going on. On the left was a fenced-in playground, complete with jungle gym, swings, and tether ball.  
"Her class should have let out by now, and the parents usually pick up their kids…about 15 minutes ago," Tori said as she led the group into the building. There was a large desk in the lobby, obviously for a secretary, but there was no one there. "Now, we're all supposed to go to Artie's after she gets out, but we figure that this is the perfect time for you two to start getting to know each other," Tori explained as they walked down a lighted hallway. Zac could swear his heartbeats echoed in the air. _Relax…just relax._ There was music coming out of a few dance rooms where some adult dancing classes were still in session. "Here we are," Kali said, and pushed open a door. The dance room was lit, but empty. Mirrors made up the two far walls of the room, and a barre dominated another wall. Kali took hold of both of Zac's arms and put him behind the door just out of sight. "Stay here…we'll surprise her. Just pop out at the right moment, okay?"  
"Janelle?" Tori called.  
"Just a second," a muffled voice said from a separate room. "Man, I am starving. I'm gonna ask Artie for the biggest, juiciest, cheesiest burger in the history of mankind, with a giant ice cream sundae as a chaser." Janelle came out with a bag slung over her shoulder and headed for the stereo on the other side of the room without looking over at them. Zac poked his head around the door and stared. Janelle was wearing a red t-shirt that said 'Go Wildcats' in white letters across the front. "Those kids were on fire today! Either they have amazing talent or I'm the best dance teacher in the continental United States…okay, why not both?" she said as she took a CD out of the stereo and stuffed it into her bag. When Janelle's back was turned, Zac saw 'Bolton' across the top of her t-shirt with the number 14 in the center. _Wow. I guess she is a fan._ Janelle turned the stereo off, and turned to face them. "Okay kids, let's blow this popsicle stand," she said walking toward them.  
"Wait!" Kali exclaimed. Janelle screeched to a halt and eyed her friend warily. "We have a huge surprise for you," Kali said.  
"Well, unless it's covered in chocolate and/or grease, I'm really not too interested at the moment," Janelle quipped.  
Zac took a deep breath and stepped out from behind the door. "What if it included a Snickers bar?"  
Janelle's beautiful green eyes widened and her pink and shiny glossed mouth opened a little as he walked toward her. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments, then Janelle swallowed noisily. "You're…you."  
"Yeah." Zac stuck his hands into his pockets and brought out the Snickers bar, smiling sheepishly. "I knew this would come in handy." He held it out to her. "Hi."  
Janelle reached to take it from him. "Hi." They stared at each other in silence for a few seconds longer until Carol stepped forward.  
"Janelle, hi I'm Carol…Janelle? Janelle!"  
Janelle started and turned to face Carol. "Huh?"  
Carol smiled and started again. "Janelle, my name is Carol. I'm the Creative Director of Popstar Magazine, and I'm here because you've won the contest."  
Janelle cocked an eyebrow. "What contest? What are you talking about?"  
"Your friends sent in a video tape about you, and you've been chosen to spend an entire day with Zac."  
Janelle looked at her friends in disbelief, and Kali, Kendra, and Tori fingerwaved. Janelle looked at Zac, who smiled, then back at Carol. "Lemme get this straight…I won a contest to spend an entire day with you," she said slowly pointing at Zac, "because they," pointing at her friends, "sent a video tape of me to you?" she said, pointing at Carol.  
"That's what she just said, ignoramus," Kendra said.  
Janelle crossed her arms and eyed her friends. "Nostalgia, huh?"  
"What can we say?" Tori said with a grin and a shrug.  
"We're incorrigible!" the twins chorused together.  
As Janelle rolled her eyes, the other three girls squealed and gathered around her, jumping up and down in excitement. "Ladies, can we chill please?" she said loudly, and after they calmed down, turned to Zac. "So…"  
Zac rocked back and forth on his heels. "So…" _Dude, she's a girl. A really, really beautiful girl….it's okay, it's okay, you can talk to her, no big deal. No big deal… _  
"It's not…today…is it?" Janelle said tentatively.  
"Oh no, no not today, honey. No, we're gonna fly you out to Utah in a few days."  
"Utah?" Janelle said. "Wait, the Utah? The one where you're filming HSM 2?"  
"No Janelle, the one where they're filming the new Spy Kids movie," Kendra said rolling her eyes. "What's with you?"  
"Well excuse me for finding it a bit hard to concentrate," Janelle said, pointing a thumb in Zac's direction.  
"Sorry to break up the party kids," Carol interrupted. "But Zac, we've got a plane to catch."  
"Wait, now?" Janelle said. "But you just got here."  
"I know, but Zac has to get back," Carol said. "Come on."  
Their whole group left the building. The basketball game was still going on, but otherwise the place was deserted. In the doorway, Carol turned and smiled at Janelle. "I'll mail you your plane ticket and all the gory details tomorrow okay?" She stuck a hand out and Janelle took it. "It was really great to meet you. Right, Zac?"  
Zac was too busy staring at Janelle to notice that Carol had said anything until she poked him in the side. "Right, right…it was really nice to meet you." He put his hands in his pockets again. "I'm looking forward to hanging out."  
Janelle, trapped by his gaze, nodded. "Yeah…me too."  
Carol let the two of them gaze at each other a few moments longer, than pulled Zac towards the car. As soon as they were out of earshot Kali, Kendra, and Tori began talking a mile a minute, but Janelle couldn't hear them. Zac paused before getting into the car and turned back. He raised his hand in farewell, and Janelle returned the favor. With one last look, Zac got into the car. He took a deep breath and resisted looking back at her. _It's not that serious. You're just gonna hang out…for one day. _Carol was talking to him, but he wasn't really paying attention. _One day…_


End file.
